Forgive me for
not being a patriot to my nation, who else can claim to be? Everybody keeps
pointing fingers at each other forgetting a thousand or even a million other
fingers are pointing right back at us, yes I know with this missive I am attempting
to enlighten our nation hence some will see it as pointing fingers at everyone.
“Typically South African” was what I read on a bumper sticker on a black
Maserati parked at Park Station Johannesburg, the only thing that came to mind
was “Tender Dude”. And yes it was a well-dressed lad who came out of it,
chiskop boy with a phone bigger than his head in his left hand & a bottle
of Valpré Spring Water on the right. I was wrong for thinking “Tender Dude” as
it was a soccer player, as he leaned to his passenger for a kiss then a hobo
came closer to give him praise & wishing him the best for his career in
talent. “Eh Skhokho” simply meaning “the great one”, “u inja son” simply
meaning “you are dog/the man” and as if the hobo was asking for money turned
the soccer star looking at the hobo said “niya hlopha nani” just meaning he is
feeling bothered. I was stunned to hear a public icon saying whatever he was
saying and the manner in which he addressed a fan, hence that was about a year
back.
I’m telling
this little story of a soccer star now because I’m reminded of that moment when
I hear everybody’s comments on what Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula said about
Bafana Bafana recently after losing 3-1 to Nigeria at the CHAN Tournament, what
a patriotic statement he gave. As if he’s perfect in life or his work, he
forgot that he was once caught with his pants down when was found cheating with
a model. He himself belong to the ruling party that keeps failing to deliver to
South Africans on so many things, not to criticise but Bafana Bafana performed
uniformly with our government under the quandary in the development area and
what excuse does our government have? It was the Minister of education who set
the bar very low by making the pass mark 30% and looking at it Bafana scored 1
goal to the 3 that Nigeria scored, if my maths is right then that should be 1/3
which makes it 33% and that makes them bad? When Jacob Zuma was elected President
in 2009 he promised to create 5 million more jobs instead, since then 1.4
million more jobs have been lost. Let’s do the Maths again, it is -1.4/5 which
is equals -28%, then for me Bafana Bafana performed immaculately so. They were
outstanding according to the success/pass mark bar placed by the Basic Education
Minister Mrs Angie Motshekga, then why lash on them and not ANC & Zuma’s
team. Excuse me for being obtuse hence just like Minister Fikile Mbalula said
to/about Bafana Bafana, we are a Nation of Bunch of Losers. Professor Arbuckle
once told me to set my goals very high & realistic so that if it happens I
don’t reach them I should be halfway there, in simple terms “reach for stars so
that if you don’t succeed then you will fall on the clouds”. There is a reason
we call it a Basic Education, one needs to have it to know the importance of it
and I know that people will get offended but the reason we have an uneducated
President is the level of education we have as a nation. Out of all
Professors, Doctors & even more other educated people in the ANC they chose
Jacob Zuma to replace the well-educated Thabo Mbeki for what? Bunch Of
Losers!!!
Automatically
it makes me a loser too for pointing fingers hence the truth be told, if
Minister of Sport could see losers in our fellow patriots Bafana Bafana and
also willing to strip them off their name why can’t we do the same with the
President. The National Football Squad didn’t make any promises to win but
Jacob Zuma promised to create jobs and he failed to do so. Not to pin point
anyone but if we look at our Nation from Fikile Mbalula’s point of view then we
need to reprimand a lot of people in parliament including him, Bafana Bafana
gets together only when there is a game or tournament to be played hence
parliamentarians see each other more often than they act on our needs. Numbers
don’t lie let’s check the score board, when Mandela was President Bafana Bafana
became African Champions & MaBoko-Boko became World Champions thus
reflected the integrity of a leader. Hence with Thabo Mbeki Bafana Bafana
got to the quarter finals and now with Jacob Zuma, they can’t even lift
a muscle never mind lifting the trophy. A President should be a motivator,
someone Sportsmen will believe in and want to please not a demoraliser who
calls patriots “A BUNCH OF LOSERS”
Word
of advice for Mr Fikile Mbalula, “be the change you wanna see” and I believe
you’ve heard that before and read it from Ghandi’s quotes and all that. If you
want Bafana Bafana to perform then start right at home with your fellow comrades…and
remember that sometimes it helps being a loser depending on what is it you are
losing and how. Bafana Bafana are doing something most of the parliamentarians
needs to do to be useful healthy Bunch of Losers, they exercise almost every
day. Comfort them instead of kicking them down, it’s not like you and your
comrades could have done better in that field…you BUNCH OF LOSERS. That doesn’t
look right does it? It doesn’t even sound right coming from a loser’s mouth
telling losers they are losers where as we live in South Africa today. Typical
South Africans, only supportive when it suite them…A NATION OF BUNCH OF LOSERS
competing on who’s the better loser but by far our leaders in parliament are the
biggest/best losers ever. He (Fikile Mbalula) felt like Bafana Bafana was
making him look bad but he did that on his own called them the image from his
mirror. Come on South Africa, let's love our country and it's countrymen...let's all be Patriots!!!
Patriot I am…
…Yes I can
Stand by my fellow countrymen when
times are bad…
…exactly when everyone wants no tears
to be shed
Admiral I am…
…allow all my generals to take a
stand
And fight against misconduct…
…to unity I’m the product
It is sure not cool being schooled…
…yet we all play by the book
Those who never read know not how to
spell…
…but only to cast a spell
To my nation, a Patriot I am…
…to my enemies I got all stones
turned
When you see me lose just don’t be
blue…
…if you ain’t got a clue
Not all battles are the same…
…reason this war is got us all insane
Therefore like any soldier…
…when my fellow man is down and in
tears
And he ask that I take his pain away…
I shall gladly silence him for good
in his way…
…for I am a patriot
Arms in arms, chariots to chariots
Still I shall remain thee Patriot
By: Rufus "Roof-Top" Mashao
